l motley



p 1934- R. L. MOTLEY APPARATUS FOR TRAINING ANIMALS 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed Dec.

QOM/ L. Mof/e Sept. 18, 1934. MQTLEY 1,973,927

APPARATUS FOR TRAINING ANIMALS Fil ed Dec. 23, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 18, 1 934 umrso STATES Pater I creme 3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in apparatus for the training of animals to develop them, and for racing them.

One object of the invention is to provide an 5 apparatus which may be inexpensively constructed without sacrificing any of the essential features, but whereby the major portions may be left standing when the track is abandoned, without a great financial loss.

An important object of the invention is the pro vision of a wooden carrier track or rail and a car or carriage mounted to travel thereon, for carrying the lure, whereby greater simplicity of structure, less expensive operation, and high efficiency are obtained.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simplified and eflicacious drive for the carriage which may be salvaged at a nominal expense when the track is abandoned.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved carriage arranged to run on a wooden rail composed of boards mounted'with their longitudinal edges uppermost, whereby the rollers supporting the carriage may run on the upper and lower edges, as well as the upper and lower portions of the sides of the rail, thus assuring a true running of the carriage and preventing wobbling or dislodgment of the same.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

The invention will be more readily understood. from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown, and

wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a race or training track built in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the carriage and a portion of the rail, Figure 3 is a plan view of the same,

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a modified form of drive for the carriage, and

Figure '7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 77 of Figure 6.

In the drawings the numeral 10 designates a carriage rail which is endless and conforms to I have shown a course or track which has semi-circular ends connected by straight sides.

The rail and its supports constitute the inner boundary or fence of the track, while the outer boundary is formed by a suitable fence 11.

For supporting the rail, I employ posts'l2 which have their lower ends suitably embedded in the ground. For the rail I employ wooden boards which can be purchased at any lumber yard, a very satisfactory size being one inch thick and six inches wide; but other sizes may be used. The posts are spaced so that the ends of the boards meet at the central portions of said posts.

Blocks 14 are interposed between the rail and the posts and space said rail from the posts. Bolts 15 passing through the posts and blocks and between the ends of the boards secure cleats 16 against said boards. The ends of theboards may be notched to receive the bolts.

It is pointed out that by means-of the cleats and bolts the upper edges of the boards may be alined so as to provide flush joints therebetween. The posts are spaced far enough apart to permit bending the boards to form the curved ends of the track. No metal strips or rails are used and as cheap lumber may be employed, the rail and its supports may be inexpensively built. As race tracks of this character are frequently abandoned after a period of use, the rail and posts may be left without a great financial loss.

A carriage 17 is mounted to travel on the rail 10. The carriage comprises transverse end members 18 Which are substantially U-shaped and are connected by longitudinal angles '19. The angles 19 are reinforced by crossed braces 20. Each end member comprises an upper yoke 21 and a lower yoke 22, which'straddle the upper and lower edges of the rail. These yokes are connected by longitudinal bars 23 on which are journaled flat faced rollers or wheels 24 engaging the top and bottom edges of the rail. Four of these wheels, two at each end of the carriage are employed. It will be noted that the longitudinal connecting members, being long and resilient, allow a weaving motion between the front and rear end members of the carriage in traversing any irregularities there may be in the track.

Similar wheels 25 are journaled in the end members on each side or" the yokes for bearing against each vertical side of the rail adjacent the upper and lower edges thereof. Eight of these wheels, four at each end, are used. The wheels 24 support and hold the carriage on the rail against vertical displacement; while the wheels 25 hold it against lateral movement. All wheels may be ball bearing and will give the carriage a free rolling mounting on the rail,

whereby little resistance will be oifered to its travel at a high rate of speed. The carriage will not wobble, will run true, and will not jump off of the rail.

A hanger 26 is supported by a bracket 27 secured to the top bar 23 at the center thereof and a bracket 28 fastened to the angles 19. The hanger is bent at right angles so as to hang down over the center of the track A and support a lure 29 at its lower end. The lure may be in the form of a rabbit or other animal, and suspended in close proximity to the ground. By moving the carriage 17 rapidly along the rail 10, the flight of the lure around the track A may be accomplished. Dogs or other animals may be trained to chase the lure or a race between dogs may be conducted.

For propelling the carriage, I have devised .a very simple means. On the posts 12 at the curved ends of the track, I mount angular brackets 30 which may be fastened to one side of each post by wood screws. On the posts at one end of the track single grooved pulleys 31 are horizontally mounted on the brackets 30; while on the posts at the other end of the track double grooved pulleys 32 are journaled horizontally on the brackets 30.

An endless cord 33 is stretched around the track and engaged in the pulleys 31 and the lower grooves of the pulleys 32. It will be noted that .no pulleys are used along the sides of the track and this is important because such side pulleys would prevent proper stretching of the cord and make operation almost impossible. I prefer to use fishing .line or similar small strong'cord. If the cord is too heavy or too large it will require too much power to propel it or its drag on the pulleys may entirely prevent its travel. The carriage is fastened to the-cordbya clamp 34 mounted on a bent arm 35 carried by the top bar 23. The outer end of the clamp is small and rounded to ride in .the grooves of the pulleys without displacing the cord.

'For propelling the cord 33, I provide an endless driving cord 36. This cord is supported in the upper grooves of the pulleys '32 at one end of 'thetrack-and is also looped around a driving pulley 37 'of an-electric or other motor 38. The driving cord 36 may 'beof thesame material as the cord 33, or-otherwise.

The operation'is simple. By starting themotor 38 motion is imparted to the pulley 37, which in turn drives the cord36. The cord 36 driving'the pulleys 32 will thus drive the cord 33, whereby 'the carriage 1'7 will'be moved along the rail 10 and the lure 29 carried around the track A. By controlling the speed of :the zmo tor the speed oi the lure :is regulated. Because of the positive drive and the light weight-of theparts, I am able .to run the :lure slowly in training dogs and as fast as fifty miles .an hour for racing purposes. If the cord :33 is too heavy and if pulleys were used along the sides of :the track, the desired results would not be obtained.

The'carriage 17 and the rail 10 are important features of the invention and while the cord drive is preferable, it is possible to drive the carriage by other means. In Figures 6 and 7 I have shown an electric drive. Bus bars or conductor strips 40 are fastened on opposite sides of the rail 10 near the upper edge thereof. One or more very high speed electric motors 41 are fastened in the frame of the carriage 1'7. Either one of the upper wheels 24 may be mounted on the shaft of each motor or a separate driving wheel may be used. The upper wheels 25 ride on the strips .9 and wires 42 conduct the electric current to the motor. By interposing a rheostat in the cirouit, the motor may be controlled and the speed of the carriage thus regulated.

When it is necessary to abandon the track, the carriage 17 may be removed and by unscrewing the brackets 30, these, together with the pulleys 31 and 32 and the motor 38, may be salvaged with a .little effort and small expense. It has been found that ball-bearing roller-skate wheels make excellent devices for the wheels 24 and 25, but others may be used.

The description which has been given recites more or .less detail of a particular embodiment of the invention, which is set forth as new and useful; however, I desire it understood that the invention is not limited to such exact details of construction, because it is manifest that changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A carriage for conveying a lure adapted to move along an endless elevated rail having its upper and lower edges and both, side portions adjacent thereto providing tread surfaces com-.- prising, a frame having longitudinally spaced and laterally extending end members, .each end member consisting of an upright member havm5 ing upper and =lower lateral members extending to one side of the upright member, each-of said lateral members having .a yoke adjacent to its free end remote from the upright portion, which yokes areadaptedto straddle the upperand lower edges respectively of the rail, a plurality .of longitudinal .membersconnecting said end .mei bers in their longitudinally spaced relationship so that-theend members may weave relatively to oneanother, supporting and guide Wheels jour- -naled on said carriage for engaging the .tread 

